Aircraft Seat Unit With Fixed Table for Compact Fuselage Space

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing movable tables in small-sized aircraft fuselages face challenges of increased space and weight due to large-sized movable mechanisms, and transit passenger suites for long-distance flights occupy excessive space in short-distance flights, reducing passenger capacity and compromising privacy.

Innovation Solution

A seat unit with a fixed table supported at two points between a window and an aisle, where the seat's center axis is orthogonal to the aircraft's front-rear direction, and a table unit supported on a partition panel orthogonal to the aircraft's axis, allowing for efficient space utilization and privacy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If a movable table with a large-sized movable mechanism is used to ensure stable support, then the support stability is improved, but the installation space and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetable support stabilityVSAvoidinstallation space

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by making the table fixed rather than movable. The table is supported at multiple fixed points (front side, rear side, and window side) on the seat backrest, eliminating the need for large movable mechanisms while achieving stable support through a stationary structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The table support structure is divided into multiple independent support points: a front side support, a rear side support, and a window side support. This segmentation allows each support point to be optimized independently and distributed across available space, providing stable support without requiring a large centralized mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If a movable table is used to enable aisle access when needed, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaisle access convenienceVSAvoidtable mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the table from the seat unit structure, making it a separate removable component. The table can be easily detached and stored in a storage space provided in the seat, allowing aisle access without requiring complex movable mechanisms. The table is simply taken out when needed and returned when not in use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Weight of moving object

If a fixed table supported at multiple points is used, then the weight is reduced, but the support stability may worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetable weightVSAvoidtable support stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by making the table fixed rather than movable. The table is supported at multiple fixed points (front side, rear side, and window side) on the seat backrest, eliminating the need for large movable mechanisms while achieving stable support through a stationary structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The table support structure is divided into multiple independent support points: a front side support, a rear side support, and a window side support. This segmentation allows each support point to be optimized independently and distributed across available space, providing stable support without requiring a large centralized mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20250214710A1Seat unit and table unit

Publication Date: 2025.07.03 JAMCO CORPORATION

AI summary

Provided are a seat unit and a table unit that realize a pleasant flight even in an aircraft having a fuselage that has been reduced in size. The seat unit disposed between a window and an aisle of an aircraft includes a seat including a seat section disposed on the window side, and a backrest disposed on the aisle side, and a table disposed between the window and the seat section and supported in a fixed manner at least at two points, wherein a center axis of the seat is approximately orthogonal to an axis of the aircraft in a front-rear direction when viewed along a direction orthogonal to a floor surface of the aircraft.